


It's a Game

by Ridiculosity



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Birthday Party, Cardan is Shameless, F/M, Jude is Exasperated, Party Games, Spooktober, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26964517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ridiculosity/pseuds/Ridiculosity
Summary: It was Heather's birthday, and Jude was supposed to do what the birthday girl wished - including play birthday games of varying degrees of embarrassment; and maybe even some with daring and truth involved. [Truth or Dare for Jurdannet's and Jurdannetrevel's Spooktober]
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar, Taryn Duarte/The Ghost, The Bomb/The Roach (The Folk of the Air), Vivienne Duarte/Heather
Comments: 8
Kudos: 122





	It's a Game

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not much for AUs in TFOTA, so this is canon complaint! A lot of this was just an excuse to write some fanfiction involving fairies in a lying game. And of course, thank you jurdannet and jurdannetrevels for the prompt list and inspiration!

The apartment lights were much brighter than the twilight she was used to. Vivi didn’t seem to be having any trouble whatsoever adjusting to it, but she’d also _been_ here longer. Even Taryn, who adapted easily to situations, blinked at her blearily a few times.

“Jude, I hope you put the cake away?” asked Heather. She was wearing pink that matched her hair, and she looked oddly adorable – like something about her was floating away. Vivi must have noticed Jude watching, because she nudged Jude with her shoulder. She had a large tray of snacks with a large number of bowls. “Heather’s a birthday freak. She loves her birthday.”

“There’s _nothing_ wrong with loving your birthday,” said Heather, reaching one of the overhead cupboards for _more_ bowls, presumably. It was unnatural to have so many.

“Hear, hear,” said Cardan softly. His arms were folded as he leaned against the living room wall. His tail swished once as he said it, his eyes narrowing to Jude, his grin almost cat-like. Jude rolled her eyes, and because they were amongst friends, returned his smile.

Vivi probably agreed with Jude, because she scoffed under her breath and settled down on the coffee table in the middle of the living room, arranging all the bowls in front of her.

“Heather, where do I put the drinks?” asked Taryn, from across the room. She was holding multiple bottles of strong whiskey. “The Bomb was having trouble with the glasses, Vivi.”

“They’re at the top of the cupboard,” said Vivi, putting down the scissor she had been threatening of the packets of chips with. She stood up, and crossed the kitchen and living room and went to the door on the right of the common area. Heather sighed and pointed Taryn to the kitchen counters where they had enough alcohol for all of the Court of Teeth.

Jude turned to Cardan. “And you’re not helping, why?” she asked.

“I’m a King, Jude Duarte.”

He looked dangerously out of place in the apartment, almost too beautiful to be allowed. Jeans suited him, as did the collared dark blue shirt that Heather had picked for him, but he still looked fairy only. The yellow fairylights were complimenting him disgustingly. Her face must given away something other than neutrality, because he seemed almost smug when he looked at her. For a moment, she regretted how much in love with him she was.

“Would you command me?” he said, his voice too low to be caught by others.

“No,” she said evenly. “Unless you would really like to be commanded into organising snacks.”

He gave her another snicker, before leaving his designated position by the wall and settling down where Vivi had been. Jude didn’t pretend to not be surprised, but she did join him. He snipped one of the packets and she emptied it in a bowl.

“Jude, what will you have?” asked Taryn.

“Whiskey, I suppose, on the rocks,” said Jude, ignoring the way Cardan’s tail was tickling her knee. It had been a bad decision to wear the dress Vivi had insisted Jude wear – it left too much of her calves exposed. And Vivi _promised_ it wouldn’t be too much. To be fair, by Vivi’s standards, it probably wasn’t – the sleeves reached her elbows, and to honour Jude’s style, she had chosen black, with a collar. If only she’d worn leggings, and not left everything below her knees free.

Taryn didn’t seem as uncomfortable with the pink and white dress that Heather had picked for her. It suited Taryn – soft and flowy as it was. In the white fairylights of the kitchen, she looked almost fairy.

The Bomb finally arrived with Vivi, glasses in hand. She had refused to indulge Vivi and Heather by wearing mortal clothing, so she looked just about the same – if more relaxed than Jude was ever used to seeing her. Jude was glad she was here just the same – she had wanted to come and experience a “mortal party,” but she really wasn’t Vivi’s friend, that honour belonged to Jude. Vivi had invited all of the Court of Shadows, but she’d been the only one curious enough to come. 

Oak hadn’t joined them – he had exams, something that neither Madoc nor Oriana understood but had chosen to not comment on. Jude knew that Heather had probably invited Madoc, but he had wisely decided not to come when he heard the King and Queen of Elfhame were going to be there, along with his other daughter. Jude didn’t doubt that Madoc hadn’t _wanted_ to either – but he was often disarmed by Heather’s earnestness. 

Taryn handed Jude a crystal glass with a whiskey and some ice cubes. Cardan had been more adventurous, and since Heather wanted to practice her bartending had asked for a cocktail. Jude didn’t appreciate how intrigued he was by “Sex on the Beach,” but she’d never say why.

She felt strangely on edge – as she always did when she was drinking. It was one of the few luxuries she allowed herself amongst her friends, and no one else, but it still felt out of place for her. Alcohol implied losing your inhibitions, losing control, losing yourself: all of which were concepts alien to her.

When Heather was finally done serving everyone drinks, and everyone had opted for sitting on the floor instead of the perfectly reasonable settee, a calm settled over the party.

“So,” said Cardan. “What is expected of us, Heather? I’m very curious about mortal birthday rituals.”

“Don’t you guys celebrate birthdays?” asked Heather.

“Our celebrations usually involve a lot more… intercourse,” said Cardan, sipping his cosmopolitan.

Heather went pink and grinned at them shyly. Cardan had the audacity to wink at Jude, who rolled her eyes again.

“I don’t think we ever celebrated much, to be honest,” said Vivi, taking a chip.

“I have,” the Bomb offered unexpectedly. “We had a ritual in the Court of Shadows. Roach, Ghost and I would have a drink together sometimes, and dare each other to sneak into impregnable places.”

“Um,” said Heather.

“Hey, Taryn, why didn’t you bring Ghost?” Vivi demanded, ignoring her girlfriend’s surprise.

“I think he didn’t want to intrude,” said Taryn with a blush.

Taryn was lying, but the fairies were none the wiser. Ghost probably didn’t want to come because he was still ashamed about what had happened between them – what had been demanded of his true name, and what he had had to do. And Taryn was blushing because Taryn blushed when she was in love.

To change the subject, Jude added: “Taryn, Vivi and I would come to the mortal world, actually. It wasn’t much, but we’d try something new and bizarre. We tried kimbab on Taryn and my twelfth birthday.”

“That’s strangely adorable for you, High Queen,” said the Bomb, her eyes dancing. Jude smiled at her, but she couldn’t keep some of her grimace out of her face. She ignored Cardan’s tail swishing close to her foot.

“What about you, Cardan?” Heather demanded.

Everyone turned expectantly to him. His tail flicked lazily. 

“I think we all know the revels last seven nights on my birthday,” he drawled.

“But that’s _now,”_ Heather said. “What about before you were king?”

Cardan appeared to be thinking about it.

Birthdays were a tricky business for faeries. Some courts celebrated widely, since it was the one marker of your immortal time – others didn’t care for it, with millennia blurring together marked only by history and its effects.

“Nothing that left any lasting memory,” said Cardan eventually. Jude frowned. Briefly. Momentarily. Taryn was the only one who noticed.

“Oh,” said Heather, disappointed. “I always loved my birthday, but I’ve not really had a lot of friends to celebrate with. I wanted to invite some people from college, but they’re out of state and I don’t think we’re close enough for them to drive down during holidays.”

Vivi nudged her with her shoulder. “It’s only been a year of college, Heather. And you’ll have me next semester!”

Most of this flew over Cardan and Lilliver. Cardan raised an eyebrow at Jude, who indicated that she would explain later. Jude was still impressed with Vivi’s acceptance to Heather’s college. She had a strong feeling it was _this_ more than anything else that had convinced Heather things were different this time around – Vivienne sat through SATs, created a transcript, studied, applied for Heather’s college, and took up her acceptance. And most of this she had done before officially trying to woo Heather.

Still. It had worked.

Jude was only half done with her drink, while Cardan had polished off the cosmo. So had the Bomb. Taryn was looking at Lilliver in open admiration.

“I’ll make the heavy-weights some more drinks,” Taryn said, scurrying off.

“So, is this all of mortal celebrations?” asked the Bomb. “You drink, and you eat some food.”

“Well,” said Heather. “I thought we could play some games.”

The Bomb raised an eyebrow.

To Jude’s horror, Heather then pulled out an old fashioned game of twister. Out of nowhere, and seemingly by magic, the iPod plugged into the speakers began playing music. Jude knocked back her drink.

Cardan, who was watching them with increasing interest, grinned at Heather, leaning forward. “Heather, _please_ tell me why my wife looks like she’s swallowed a lemon at the thought of the game.”

“Don’t you want to play, Jude?” asked Heather earnestly.

“Yes, Jude,” said Cardan, turning to her, eyes gleaming. “Don’t you want to play?”

Jude was going to kill them all.

They pushed the coffee table to one side, and Taryn volunteered to do the calling out of the colours. Jude had tried to volunteer, but absolutely no one allowed her to – and in an alliance more surprising than the one between Queen Orlagh and Cardan Greenbriar, Vivienne and Cardan campaigned strongly for Jude to join the game.

She was sure she saw Cardan laughing when right foot red was called for Jude. At one point, Lilliver snuck between two bodies for left hand green. Then an increasingly drunk Vivi had called for Cardan’s tail to have an entry as well. Heather improvised when she was asked to arch across what looked like a jumble of limbs. Cardan was the only one unaffected – because shame just never seemed to dress him. Never embarrassed, always careless, he looked good even when he was ridiculous.

She’d been the only one to see him embarrassed, and the situation then was a lot more unseemly than a birthday game night.

And because the night wasn’t bad enough, Heather insisted on playing dance attack after that. Jude knocked back another few drinks. They were getting progressively rowdier, more excitable, and even drunker than Jude had thought possible. Taryn had beaten Jude thoroughly in dancing – her face was flushed, and pretty, and the pink dress spun around her ethereally.

Even Jude was a bit drunk when they ordered pizza.

“I don’t think I can do more,” said the Bomb. “It’s not bad, this mortal food. And the games. They’re strangely restful, despite being very taxing. Do mortals often tire themselves out when tipsy?”

“No, that’s just Heather,” said Vivi. “She makes me go for a _run_ in the morning.”

Heather poked Vivi sharply. “How about a sit down game next?”

“Please,” said Vivienne, pecking Heather on the cheek.

“Mortals are a little tame, are they not?” asked the Bomb.

Cardan nodded, and Taryn bit her lip with laughter. 

“Well – how about a game of Truth and Dare, then?” Heather said.

Jude’s mood – which had been happy, almost floating, was brought to the ground with a rude thump. And of course, _of course,_ Cardan’s tail flicked in excitement.

“Oh, the benefits of lying,” he said.

“Oh, that’s right,” said Heather. “You guys can’t lie.”

“But we can play it anyway!” said Taryn, oddly excited for this game. Jude narrowed her eyes at her. “Vivi, Cardan, Bomb – do you _promise_ you will answer all Truth based questions _straight,_ without avoiding the answers _?”_

“Hey!” said Jude, deciding to intervene. “We don’t have –”

“No, I think it might be fun,” said the Bomb unexpectedly. “I’ve never played a lying game before. We don’t get to lie. Do the humans have to tell the truth too?”

“Yes,” nodded Heather. “All truths. But we’re better at lying. Or lying by omission.”

Of course, the natural solution would be to glamour them – but even with Jude’s gaes, she didn’t think Cardan would stand for that sort of thing. At least – not anymore. Even Lilliver might have suggested a glamour once, and it was a testament to how good their friendship was and how much time they spent together that it didn’t occur to a single fairy to glamour them.

“Then you need to promise us something as well,” said Cardan, his voice slow and sly. It was his manipulative carelessness, the one that all the Courts of Elfhame had been tricked by. Tipsy Heather didn’t stand a chance. “We don’t have a guarantee whether you will always be truthful, so you _have_ to be daring.”

The Bomb looked _way_ too excited now. Jude was dreading this whole thing, and praying to God they’d use a damn bottle or something that had a predilection for landing on Taryn, as it often had when they played this game as kids.

Unluckily, Heather, much older than them and more human too, knew very well the problems you could run into while playing Truth and Dare. She proposed going in a circle, beginning with Vivi – leaving herself and Cardan as the last two people in the circle.

“Truth,” said Vivienne. Unsurprising – she’d had a daring life, she didn’t need more of _that._ Probably true of all the fairies. But Jude wasn’t telling the truth if her life depended on it, and she’d had more of a daring life than everyone in the room – with the possible exception of the Bomb.

Taryn and the Bomb looked at each other for a second, while Cardan glanced at Jude. “Don’t ask me,” said Jude. “I wanted nothing to do with this.”

“Oh, alright. Do you have anything, Cardan?” asked Taryn.

“Yes,” said Cardan, his eyes gleaming. “Did Rhyia really trick Balekin into that ridiculous stunt on father’s birthday?”

Vivi’s eyes were laughing. “Does everyone want the answer?”

Jude didn’t. Balekin had not been able to live down the humiliation of having chosen a human consort for the King. That human girl had been drugged with everapple and hadn’t known what was happening – and had been shouted down by the King, who wanted nothing to do with her. But she’d never really been able to get it out of her head that they hadn’t seen the girl after.

“Why do _you_ want to know, though?” asked Vivi, eyes meeting Cardan.

“I had to do a lot to get that girl out of Elfhame,” said Cardan. “And Balekin was ready to take out a lot of anger on her.”

Jude’s heart fell and rose in equal measure. Vivi seemed momentarily ashamed, even, and she didn’t quite meet Heather’s eyes. She finished her drink quickly, but made no move to get another. When none responded over pursuing Cardan’s line of enquiry, the question fell by the wayside.

“I have wondered, Vivi,” said Taryn, pondering. “How did you make Heather remember us?”

“I like that question,” nodded the Bomb. “Was it flowers? Did you beg? Did you grovel?”

“You are enjoying this _far_ too much,” said Jude, naturally suspicious.

“I like it when aristocratic faeries grovel,” said the Bomb. “It makes me happy.”

Vivi grinned, preparing herself for a much easier question. “I didn’t _grovel._ I offered to let her meet my parents.”

“Really?” demanded Taryn. “ _That’s_ what it took?”

“Yes,” Vivi said, with an even wider grin.

“I had a very vivid memory of Vee’s dad,” said Heather, with a tell-tale shudder that was the normal reaction to anyone remembering Madoc. “And she’d been honest about everything that had happened before, but nothing clicked until she offered to let me meet him.”

Taryn fell back, reeling but somehow unsurprised. The Bomb tilted her head to one side. “Vivienne can’t lie. But Heather can. How do we tell?”

“She’s not,” said Cardan. “She’s a bad liar.”

Heather went pink. “I am. I won’t pretend. But most faeries can’t tell, not even Vee. Why do you know?”

Cardan’s teeth were showing when he smiled this time. “I live with the veritable master.”

To this, Jude had nothing to say. It was true enough, and they were between friends. Her reputation didn’t need to be _stronger –_ they knew. She only sipped her whiskey in response. 

Taryn raised an eyebrow at her.

“Heather’s turn,” said Cardan. “You promised you would be daring.”

Heather did look like she was regretting it just a little bit.

“Alright,” she said, squaring her shoulders. “Dare.”

“Come for the feasting that’s happening in two weeks.”

He said it so fast, everyone was surprised. Heather looked taken aback. “But –”

“You said you’d be daring,” sang Cardan.

Jude placed a hand on his, but he didn’t seem to be listening.

She swallowed. “If I don’t want to? If someone forces me to eat everapple?”

“You won’t know until you come,” he said. “And you’re a very bad liar, Heather.”

“Alright,” she said. “But it’s Taryn’s turn now.”

Just that and nothing more. Even Jude had sensed that Heather was not as averse to the concept of returning as she had once been, but she had not pressed the issue. Cardan seemed to be taking a drastic step in a strange direction, and to Jude’s shock, Vivi’s gave him a swift, grateful look.

“I have a question for Taryn, if she chooses to be truthful,” said the Bomb.

“Me?” said Taryn, surprised. “But I’m not a good liar! And you know everything about me.”

“Did you kill Locke?” she posed the question a lot less like it was a question and much more like a challenge.

The Bomb was grinning, and it was clearly just a little funny. Everyone leaned in just a little – even Vivi and Jude, who knew very well that she had been the one to kill him. Cardan had known by omission, as had the Bomb, but it was something – something very strange and wild to see Taryn admit to murder. It wasn’t that anyone believed she was incapable of it, it was just interesting to watch her admit to it. Taryn blushed, and grinned, and stammered – even as Cardan looked away, pretending to be uninterested. And then, slowly, very slowly, she eeked out a yes.

“Is she lying?” said the Bomb, turning to Cardan.

He took a deep drink from his glass, and almost imperceptibly, shook his head.

Taryn blushed angrily. “Your turn,” she said, shoving the Bomb.

“Truth,” picked the Bomb.

Jude slammed her glass on the table. “When Cardan and I left for the Undersea – did you and Roach use our room? You did _nothing_ but exchange kisses and promises if not worse, didn’t you?”

For once, for _once,_ Lilliver blushed. “I pick dare!”

“Did you or didn’t you?” demanded Jude.

“ _Fine,_ but only for a night,” she said desperately.

“Mab’s life, tell me you _role played?”_ said Vivienne, leaning forward, her eyes glittering.

“I answered my question!” shouted the Bomb. “I refuse to answer more!”

“That’s practically a confession,” muttered Taryn, stirring the olive in her drink.

“I don’t see why they should be ashamed of role playing,” said Cardan. “I have often said I hope I start some bedroom trends.”

Lilliver threw him a dirty look. “You weren’t the most sought after role, my King.”

At this, Jude blushed, brighter and more impossibly than she had ever dreamed she would. And because Cardan clearly hated her, he only said, “You have good taste.”

Taryn began to laugh, but stopped herself when Jude shot a look at her which was close to murder. She hurriedly converted it into a laugh and nervously said, “Jude’s turn!”

“Dare,” Jude said instantly. Everyone looked mildly disappointed.

They looked at each other. She saw the Bomb raise her eyebrows, Vivi look at Taryn questioningly, and Heather only seemed confused. Cardan had nothing to offer – and why would he? He had seen Jude be more daring than she had ever needed to be, and his only contention would be if she sought out another duel with Grima Mog with nothing more than her dagger. He might have demanded truths from her, but what did he need to know from her? All her secrets were – terrifyingly – his.

Taryn huffed in irritation. “What are you supposed to ask Jude to do? She’s done practically everything.”

Jude tried not to look smug.

“She hasn’t so much as held Cardan’s hand,” Vivi pointed. “You could dare her to kiss him.”

Instantly, Jude blanched. “In that case, I choose truth.”

“We wouldn’t have done that, Jude,” Taryn chided Vivi. “But I’m glad you picked truth. I wouldn’t know what to dare you to do.”

“I’d have told her to dance,” said Heather, looking amused at the very thought of it.

“I played twister for you, Heather,” groaned Jude. “Please don’t test the limits of my regard.”

Vivi winked at Jude, having successfully tricked her into telling the truth.

“Well – what do you want to know?” she asked, uncomfortable.

Again, there was a shuffled passing of glances, half thoughts, and maybe some decisions. And then Taryn met Jude’s eyes, offering more of a challenge than a question: “Tell us something you haven’t told him.”

Jude automatically turned to Cardan, who raised his eyebrows.

“Why?” asked Jude, her eyes returning to Taryn.

“Well,” said Taryn, who seemed to have actually thought this out. “You’d keep secrets from us, but very few from him.”

“That’s true,” said the Bomb. “I want Jude to answer Taryn’s question.”

“I’d agree.”

“Me too,” Vivi and Heather chimed in.

Jude glared at all of them, and then at Cardan.

“I was not involved, my Queen,” he defended himself lazily.

“I hate you,” she informed him.

“That’s not much of a secret you have kept from me,” he countered.

“Fine,” said Jude. She finished the rest of her drink, and looked at him again, trying to ignore the bubbling discomfort of knowing others were watching. “You look good in blue.”

Cardan blinked.

“It suits you,” continued Jude. “Especially collars.”

His tail flicked close to her knee again, and Jude ignored the thrill in her heart.

“Well,” said Heather. “Who wants to refresh their drinks?”

* * *

The carriage ride home passed in silence. She had a feeling he looked at her one or two times, but she really couldn’t face him when he was going to grin at her smugly. She didn’t want to imagine the incoming conversation – with his sly, “I look good in blue, do I?”

They flew over the mortal world, and into the underspace of faerie – it was late when they reached, dawn was touching the palace. As the pink creeped into the gardens, it was clear that the palace was slowly spooling the day’s business, winding it away and preparing for daybreak. Some of the workers bowed as they passed, but they looked exhausted – and all the curtsies were half-hearted.

Only once the doors of their bedroom were closed did Jude turn to him. “Well?” she demanded.

“What?” he asked, sitting on the bed and carefully unlacing his shoes.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” she asked, feeling antsy in the face of his calmness.

“If I had something to say, I would,” he said, flashing her a toothy grin. “But I look too good in blue to have anything to say.”

She wished she could strangle him through looks alone.

She crossed the room in a huff, but before she could enter their closet, he held her by the wrist. “Jude,” he said.

“What?” she asked, ruffled. “Yes, you look good in blue. And black, for that matter, but that’s _my_ colour – so don’t try anything. Blue is a good compromise, and it also makes you look very tempting in jeans –”

“Jude,” he interrupted, laughing.

She pursed her lips. He held her wrist even tighter, pulling her closer. There was a foot of difference between them, and it still felt too far. 

“Dare,” he all but whispered. “Since I never got to pick.”

“You should have picked _then_ ,” said Jude.

“I’d rather you command me, my Queen,” he said, and tugged her even closer. Her lips were an inch away from his, and she exhaled.

“You smell like whiskey,” he informed her.

“And you smell like badly mixed cosmopolitans,” she told him.

“We match.”

Silence, intoxicating silence, and then: “Kiss me.”

She said it very quietly, but her heart was prepared for when his lips fell on hers, kiss after kiss after kiss – the promise of many dares pressed into one. The tips of his fingers traced her jaw, tangling into her hair. Jude leaned back for a breath.

“If you ask me,” he said, “You look good in everything.”

“Oh, shut up,” she said, blushing as she kissed him.

**Author's Note:**

> Was this a long excuse to get Jude to admit Cardan is hot? Maybe. 
> 
> Anyway, I love reviews!


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